AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Mike Brown has joined some very good company.
The Cavaliers coach won his 300th game with the team on March 25 over Toronto. He trails only two Hall of Famer coaches Lenny Wilkens (316) and Bill Fitch (304) in franchise annals.
“It’s a special mark when you think about the two guys that are 1 and 2 in Bill Fitch and Lenny Wilkens,” he said. “The longevity in this business isn’t a word you use a lot. To get an opportunity for something like that is special.”
Brown said he didn’t know about the milestone until his son informed him of it after the Raptors game.
“I didn’t have a clue,” he said.
“Obviously, when you have a time to reflect, it’s a special thing. I thank the Cleveland community for putting up with me for this long. All the people I’ve worked with and coached, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to attain that mark.”
Brown has an outside shot at reaching Fitch’s mark this season.Inbound woes
Forward Luol Deng said there was nothing wrong with the way an inbounds play was designed with 7.8 seconds remaining in the Cavs’ victory over the Raptors on March 25.
But the pass from Anderson Varejao intended for Deng went out of bounds.
Deng said the play blew up because Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan “held my waist.”
Brown said they practice the play during every shootaround. He said after he had Deng inbound the ball, they haven’t had any problems. He decided against the Raptors that because Deng is one of his best free-throw shooters, he wanted him to receive the pass from Anderson Varejao.
“The officials are going to let you hold and grab (on the inbounds plays),” Brown said. “If we hold them, it’s all right. If they hold us, it’s wrong.”
It’s at least the fourth ill-fated inbounds play at the end of a game this season.Cagey veteran
Brown loves Cavs guard Jarrett Jack’s veteran influence.
“We can feel Jarrett’s experience and veteran influence on the floor,” he said. “He gets us in the right spots.”
On defense, he’s most effective calling out the opposing teams’ offensive plays.
“He’s making things easier for everyone,” Brown said.Quick shots
-- The Cavs have shot 50 percent or better in four of the last five games, including three in a row (before the March 26 game).
-- Pistons coach John Loyer said he informed rookie guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope that he doesn’t “live and die at the 3-point line,” meaning it’s all right to drive to the basket once in a while. Caldwell-Pope is shooting 30.6 percent from behind the arc.
-- The Cavs have won the second night of a back-to-back set in four of the last six occasions (before March 26).

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About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
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